The move
by TADAHmon
Summary: Uhm, my first ever HA! fiction. I've gotten better at it, I think since writing this one, but I have plans so if you like it... well...


Well, I own Helga and Harold, Arnold and Gerald, Stinky and Sid, Big Bob, Miriam, Olga... Uh...... DON'T SUE ME!!! I was just kidding! I.... DON'T OWN ANY OF IT!!! WHAAAAAA.  
  
The move  
  
In the following days after she confessed her feelings to Arnold, Helga was so happy... The happiest she had been in her whole life. It wasn't just happiness, it was relief, too. Relief that she had finally told Arnold her true feelings. Oh, sure, in the end, after the action was over, and the neighborhood was saved, he had chalked it off as 'the heat of the moment' but she could tell, in every essence of her being, that it was so much more.  
But now... The blonde ponytails that stuck out of the sides of her head shook up and down as she absent-mindedly nodded her head as Big Bob jabbered on about his new beeper commercial.  
"Are you listening to me, Olga?" Big Bob asked, irritated.  
"Yes, Big Bob!" She snapped back in a tone similar to his.  
"Okay, then..." And on and on he continued, as she pretended to listen, but was really in her own little dream world. She couldn't get the kiss out of her mind. Oh, sure, her and Arnold had kissed before, but that was for school plays or the like, and this was for real... This was no act. Sooner or later, she knew Big Bob would get tired of talking with her, and go into the living room to watch his commercial. She sighed and slumped down in her seat, trying to listen to him. Why, oh why did it have to rain on a Saturday? As if in answer to her question, a bolt of lightning flashed outside of the window, and she winced at the sound of thunder that came after it. She stared down at the pink dress that she always wore over a white shirt, and released a bored sighed, then patted at the pink bow that held her hair in place. She had worn that bow ever since Arnold told her he liked it when they were three. Now that she was nine, though, she almost thought about taking it off, and keeping it off. He never noticed it anymore. She sighed again, a more troubled sigh this time. "What if my taunts and my jeers finally just got to him? I suppose if that is the case, then... Hmm." She reached up and took the bow off, letting her hair flow naturally. "I don't need to wear this bow any more if..." Again she sighed, a hopeless kind of sigh. He hadn't returned her feelings. She supposed at the time that he needed time to think, but it had been almost a month. How long did he need to think, when she had been holding these feelings in for years? Her eyes narrowed, and she glared at the wall, her uni-brow shaping into what many kids around P.S. 118 knew and dreaded. It really did make her look more menacing, and was ultimately perfect for a schoolyard bully, which is what she basically was. Finally, Big Bob had left, so now Helga was alone to mull things over. What had started out as a fairly normal day ended in dreariness and anger.  
  
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Now she lay in bed, trying to sleep. Hours passed, until it was 3:00 a.m. and she was finally asleep. She started to toss and turn, dreaming something awful. Worse than anything she had dreamed before. Maybe even worse than all of her nightmares combined. She was dreaming that she was dressed in the "Deep voice" outfit, the black gloves and trench coat-like thing, and all, standing on top of the building that was very special, at least to her, the FTI building, where she admitted her biggest secret to Arnold on. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she tried to ignore them, but then wiped them away angrily, staring out at the moonlight.  
"Helga?" A familiar voice murmured, resting his hand on her shoulder.  
She smiled, and turned, then just stared at him. "Arnold!" The two just stood like that a while, staring at each other.  
"Where is your bow?" He questioned, reaching up to her hair that now hung down just past her shoulders.  
"I-I took it off," She stammered. As soon as she revealed this, a lightning bolt struck the floor, splitting it in half. Arnold was on the half that broke apart, and started to fall to the ground below. "NO! Arnold!" She screamed, suddenly reaching out and grabbing him by the wrist, stopping his fall.  
He stared up at her in fear, then glanced below him as the platform that was underneath him fell to the ground and shattered into a hundred pieces. "Helga!"  
"Augh..." She groaned, trying to pull him up. "Arnold, give me your other wrist!" She commanded, but when he reached out with his left wrist, her grip on his right wrist started to slip. "Oh! Never mind! I'll just have to pull you up with this one." She grasped at his wrist with both hands. She was already leaning over as far as she could without toppling over herself. "Mmmmm..." She cried a little; it was starting to look hopeless. "NO. Helga, old girl, you have to try. You just have to..." She took a deep breath, and tried to pull him up again. But then, another lightning bolt struck, causing her to fall back in reflex, and her fingers slipped from his, and he fell. "NO!" She screamed, tears pouring down her face, watching as he fell... Suddenly, she sat up, gasping and panting, tears and sweat just flooding down her face. She hugged her knees up to her chest, and sobbed. "No, no, no, no, no..." A few minutes later, she stood up and walked to the door. "I need to see him... Even from a distance, it'll relax me..." She opened her door quietly and sneaked out into the hall. "Wait, my bow." Since what happened in her dream when she admitted to taking it off, she definitely didn't want to go to Arnold's without it. A few minutes later, she quietly walked out of the front door of her house, and headed towards the boarding house.  
  
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Almost ten minutes later, she arrived at Arnold's, and glanced around. She then looked his fire escape over, and, walking up the steps to reach the roof, she walked over to his skylight, and looked down it. "There he is," She smiled to herself, "and he's perfectly fine..." She glanced up at her bow again, and then sat down next to the skylight, not ready to return to home, or bed, just yet. Just when she was about to go home, feeling very sleepy, she noticed movement in Arnold's room. Glancing back curiously, she noticed Arnold out of bed, walking towards the stairs that led him out of his room and up to the roof. "Ahhh! He's sensed me! Criminey!" She exclaimed, just staring, clueless at what to do next. "Run, you idiot, he's already half up the stairs!" Her conscience rebuked her, and then her senses kicked in and she started to run for the edge of the building, to climb down and make a quick get-a-way.  
"Helga?" Just as she made it to the edge, a confused, slightly sleepy, voice interrupted her.  
She turned, and stared at him, embarrassed beyond imagination. "Y-yes."  
"What are you doing?"  
"Uhm, just running, you know, uh, early morning exercises."  
"Uh, on my roof?"  
"Uh-huh, it- it's perfect for running, didn't you know?"  
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever, Helga." He sat down on the edge of the skylight where she was sitting just minutes ago, and looked up at the moon. "You don't have to leave unless you really want to," He interrupted her again before she could climb off of the side of the building. "What made you come here, anyway, Helga?"  
"I had to check on something," She slipped, then slapped a hand over her mouth.  
"Oh? What?" He looked at her with those annoying eyes that only are opened about a fourth of the way.  
"Uh, your ceiling! Yeah, that's it! I heard on the news that if ceilings aren't done right, they can collapse."  
He squinted one eye at her, and just stared at her. "Don't you think we're a little too old, and have been through a little too much together, for the ridiculous excuses?"  
As she looked down at him in surprise, it started to rain again. Not soft little drops, but those big, large, monsoon-like drops. "Augh," She groaned. Her dress, which she hadn't changed out of at bed, was soaked in seconds.  
"Answer me, Helga," Arnold ordered.  
"Who are- are you to- to order me around, Football-head?" She stammered, shivering. This rain wasn't like the warm rain that poured down earlier; this was cold rain, the kind that'll drench and freeze you to the bone all at the same time.  
"Just answer me," He repeated forcefully. He usually wasn't like this, but he was sick and tired of her excuses and lame stories, and he knew how she felt, but he still didn't know why she acted this way.  
She nervously fiddled with her bow again, but didn't say anything.  
"Come on, Helga," He took a step nearer to her, and she took a step back, forgetting just how close to the edge she was. "Quit running!" He took another step forward, she took another step back, and teetered against the edge of the building.  
She glanced down, and gasped suddenly. "Ah!" She suddenly ran to Arnold, and hugged him, crying and scared out of her mind. Her dream had scared her enough, and then being close to the edge like that...  
"Helga?" He just stared at her a minute, vaguely frightened himself, but then hugged her. "I'm sorry, come on, let's get into my room." Now he felt sorry about pressuring her like this, he could tell she wasn't pretending with these tears like some girls would just to get out of being pressured, because he knew she wasn't like that. "Come on now, just follow me." He released her and grabbed her hand, then led her down the stairs to his attic room. "Wait here," He whispered. "I'll get you some water and a towel, OK?" He left the room, and she sat there numbly, not even taking notice of just WHOSE room she was in. When he returned, she had moved up to the top of his bed, not crying, but still looking somewhat upset. He didn't think she even noticed that he returned until she moved to the middle of the bed so he could sit next to her. "Here," He offered, holding the water out to her.  
"Thank you, Arnold..." She murmured in a show-no-emotion voice.  
"No problem. Helga; can I ask you something?"  
"I suppose," She answered, raising her eyebrow at him, as she took a sip from the glass.  
He nodded and cleared his throat nervously. "I was... Well, do you want to answer the question I asked on the roof, or not?"  
She blinked and glared at him.   
"I will take that to mean a no." He sighed as she nodded and yawned.  
He glanced at the clock, and smiled. "Good thing it's summer. We can get some rest, at least... If you want, you can lay on the couch, or I can, and you can lay on the bed, or whatever." When no answer was offered, he looked over at her; she was already deeply asleep. He smiled lightly, and then laid her down on the bed, pulling the sheets around her. He then laid on the couch and fell into a deep, sound sleep.  
  
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Later that morning, at 10 o'clock a.m., Helga and Arnold were both still asleep, exhausted from last night. Suddenly, she fell out of bed, and landed on the button to the couch that was lying by the bed.   
Of course, the couch folded into the wall, taking Arnold with it.  
Helga groaned and sat up, rubbing her head. She was all tangled up in Arnold's blankets and sheets, laying next to Arnold's bed, staring at Arnold's couch, feeling Arnold's floor... "HOLD IT!" Warning signs appeared in her head, and she looked around. "What am I doing here?" She pondered. She ran her hands over her eyes, and blinked a few times. "Well, yes, I am definitely here..." Memories from last night ran through her mind. "Ah... Hmmmmm. So... He let me stay here?" She swooned, falling back against the blankets covering the floor. Immediately, because of Helga's contact with the remote, the couch flew out of the wall, and Arnold rolled out of it, still sound asleep. "Oh, that explains where he is." She giggled to herself, and then walked out onto the roof, watching clouds float past. She ran her hands through her hair, and took the bow out, letting it fall past her shoulders again, running her hand through them again. "My parents would have a fit... If they cared," She mumbled to herself.  
"You think they don't?"  
She yelped and jumped a little, then whirled around, glaring at... Arnold. Of course. The hateful look slid off her face, and she sighed, "DON'T do that!"  
"OK, sorry," He apologized, a tiny smile on his face.  
"Hmm." She turned back to the sky, and smiled slightly. "You have a good view of the areas around here, huh?... It'd be a good place to write poetry..."  
He glanced at her in surprise. "You write poetry?"  
"Uh, oh, I try sometimes, but the rhymes don't work for me..." She lied.  
"Uh-huh." He just nodded. "Um, will you answer my question about your parents, at least?" He really wanted to know more about her. All this time, all he ever knew was that she was a mean bully that relished in being able to taunt him. He never truly understood why Phoebe was close friends with her, but after he started to get wiser, and he saw through her explanations on many recent things, he thought maybe, just MAYBE she had a soft side. The day that she helped them save the neighborhood cinched it. Now all he wanted was to learn more about her, and be her friend. But, the only problem now was... convincing her to reveal some things.  
"Why should I?" She asked grumpily.   
He could tell she was trying to go back to 'bully' Helga, and knew not to prod. "OK, if you don't want to. I'll be here if you ever do. And don't go thinking, or saying, that I'm asking all of this because I am curious or nosy. I just want to learn more about you, Helga." And so he left the roof and went back into his room, watching her through the skylight.  
Helga sighed and sat down on the roof. "I'm sorry, Arnold..." She tapped her fingers against the shingles on the roof, humming to herself. Although the night had been kind of stressful, and the beginning of the morning wasn't much better, she was in a fairly good mood. Her love was at least interested in her...  
  
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Helga's day continued fairly smoothly. She returned home at 10:15 a.m., after almost breaking her neck trying to climb up to her window on the second floor, and then climbing into her room. When she finally entered, she changed from her pink dress and white shirt to a pink pajama shirt and pants. She didn't even have to mess her hair up, because that was already done so she just opened the door and walked on downstairs. Of course, Miriam was asleep, or passed out, your choice, at the kitchen table yet again, and Big Bob was no where to be seen, more than likely already at work. This was how all of the previous summer days had gone, as well. After sitting around the very silent house for about ten minutes, she went upstairs and came back downstairs a little later with her usual hair style and clothing on. Then it was off to Phoebe's. Before she left the old house, though, she felt really weird, and looked back at it with a frown. This place held most of her worst memories, and some of her favorite ones, too... "OK, snap out of it, Helga, ol' girl." Shrugging, she continued walking.  
"Hello, Helga!" Phoebe greeted her cheerfully, after answering the door.  
"Ah, hi, Pheebs." She smiled, almost equally cheerful as her best friend with the Japanese descent.  
"You're in a good mood this morning; does it have something to do with Ice Cream?" The short girl's eyes twinkled at the mention of Helga's love.  
"Could be, could be." And so the two best friends walked into Phoebe's house.  
  
  
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That afternoon, Helga left Phoebe's, and headed back to her house. It looked like it was going to storm again... But right now it was the "calm before the storm". "Hmmmmm. Stupid storms in summer.... Storms should only be allowed to happen during school days." She groaned and kicked at the gravely concrete, then continued on her way to home. When she arrived, she was surprised to see that Big Bob was home early and that Miriam was actually awake.  
"Oh, Olga. I have some news for you," Big Bob said carelessly. "We're moving."   
"Helga, BOB. Helga!" She was halfway to her room before the news stopped her abruptly. She ran back. "WHAT did you say?"  
"We're moving. You know how the company's sale has gone down since the whole FTI bull? That commercial we showed yesterday struck some idiot's interest, so I'm selling, and we're gonna move away and start anew. If we're lucky, maybe we'll move somewhere closer to your sister, so we can see her more often."  
"Oh, B. Maybe we should have done this months ago!" Miriam said, looking more excited than Helga had ever seen her.  
"Oh, heck, Mim! We should have done it YEARS ago!" Big Bob exclaimed happily.  
They were so busy with their happiness lovefest thing that it was quite easy for Helga to sneak away into her room. "No..." She whimpered and sat down on the floor of her closet. "Oh, my love... Just when you were becoming interested in me..." She slid her arm down her shirt and pulled out the famous locket, then propped it up against the wall, and stared at the picture of Arnold. "Oh..." There, on the floor of her closet, the tears came, slowly, and steadily, and then harder and more frequent. She cried long and hard, hard and long for almost an hour. She never cried so hard in all of her life. Once she started to keep up with Bob's idea for what the Pataki family should act like, she never cried. As more time passed, and more hurtful things happened, she didn't cry; instead, the Five Avengers took its place, and eventually it just became easier to NOT cry. That morning, when she cried in front of Arnold, was the first in a long time. She didn't even feel ashamed, crying in front of someone else. But you know how it is. The longer you hold things in, the harder you'll be hit, and the wider the flood'll be when it comes. Even Bob would've been somewhat saddened to see his youngest daughter laying there, crying as if her life was over. After she finished crying, she just laid there in the puddle of tears, sniffling a little. "Oh..." She ran her hand over her eyes, and glanced around the closet, then picked the locket back up. After staring at the picture for some time, she sighed and dropped it back into her shirt.  
"Dinner time, Helga!" Miriam yelled up to her.  
"I'm not hungry!" She yelled back, trying to control the shakiness of her voice.  
"OK, well, there'll be leftovers!"  
"Great," She mumbled, wiping her eyes again. "Doi...!" Tears still dripped off of her chin and splashed against the closet floor, and as much as she tried to stop it, they just didn't stop. Finally she just gave in, and lay down again on the floor and released a few deep, nearly silent sobs that racked her body.  
  
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The next day, she woke up with the sun streaming in through her window. Groaning, she shielded her eyes and walked over to the window, slamming it shut. "Mmm.." She groaned, sitting on the edge of her bed, wiping her itchy eyes. She felt famished and then remembered that she didn't have any supper last night. "No wonder." More memories of last night came to her mind, and she groaned again. "Oh, God, no..." She slowly changed from one pink dress/white T-shirt to another pink dress/white shirt and then brushed her hair out, impatiently pulling at the knots that had appeared over night. "I am so getting out of here," She decided, running out of the room.  
"Where do you think you are going, Young Lady?"   
"Big Bob?" She demanded. "What are you doing?"  
"Since I sold the Beeper Emporium, I have no work to do till we move. And don't speak to me in that tone."  
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Dandy. Well, I'm going over to Phoebe's."  
"Eh, Bibi's, eh? OK."  
Helga just kept silent and left the house, then leaned against the side of the house. "Well, do I really want to go to Pheebs'... Or not?" She sighed and walked that way, but when she arrived, she did not feel like talking, so she sat down on her friend's front steps, and rested her elbows on her knees, thinking about many, many things. She rarely got silence around her house, because in the morning, Helga would leave to go to Pheebs' or play baseball or whatever with the neighborhood kids. When she'd return in the afternoon, either Miriam would be awake and trying to sit in the kitchen, to look like she was actually cooking so Bob wouldn't yell at her when he'd return from work or wherever, and then in the evening, all you could hear was Big Bob shouting at either Miriam, or her, or just some stupid t.v. show where something happened that he didn't like. Now, instead of it being just in the evenings, Bob would always be around to yell at something or someone. Until they moved, that is. Helga groaned, but managed to keep her tears in this time. The move. Yet again, she reminded herself of it. Why did they have to move? Why? She didn't want to! She wanted to stay. This place felt like home to her, much more of a home than the one that she lived at with Big Bob and Miriam. "I wanna stay," She murmured, before standing up from Phoebe's porch and running. She had to run... She needed to run... She had never felt so burdened in all of her life. It hurt her to even breathe, much less move. If she didn't run, though, she might start crying, and then she'd be back to square one, like on the closet floor. As she ran, she turned a corner and bumped into someone. She just fell to the ground, dazed, and didn't move to stand or even look at the person she fell into. Why bother? She always bumped into him. It was just her luck. It was fate, or some higher calling, that always made her and Arnold come together one way or the other.  
"We meet again, Helga," Arnold cracked, his eyes sparkling playfully. When she didn't answer, he grew solemn and reached a hand out to her, resting it on her arm. "Are you OK? Hey, Earth to Helga. Anyone in there?" He shifted around and sat next to her, resting his arms around her shoulders.  
"Huh, oh, Arnold?" She blinked and looked up at him.  
"Yeah. Are you ok?"   
She nodded numbly, and then stood up. "Bye, Arnold."  
As she ran off, he shook his head. "She needs alot of help..."  
  
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Later on that night, Helga glanced her poems over. Sighing loudly, she tossed it all onto the floor, near her closet, and then walked into there. "Heh," She grumbled, kicking at the wall. It was soiled. Soiled by the tears that fell inside its walls. Never again would this place look the same to her. "Hmmmph," She grumbled, unsatisfied, and left the closet, then walked out of her room, yelling behind herself, "I'm going to stay at Phoebe's tonight, Miriam!"  
"Uh? Oh! OK, Dear," Came the familiarly disembodied voice.  
She rolled her eyes and escaped from the place she called 'home', and headed for her best friend's home, but then rethought it, and headed another way, to the boarding house. "Guess we might as well see what ol' Football-head is doing..." She walked over to the nearest window, and looked up. She sighed in the usual lovesick way as soon as Arnold came into view. Obviously he was just now wishing his grandparents a good night before going to bed.  
"Good night, Grandpa, Grandma," His voice wafted through the slightly cracked window, and Helga smiled at the sound of it, then sighed wistfully, but then slapped herself and forced herself to pay attention to the scene before her.  
"Good night, Short-man!"   
"Good night, Kimba!" His grandparents chimed in with their little pet names for him, although Gertie's name for him was a little more 'petty' than Phil's, if you get my drift.  
He smiled at them, and then walked out of the living room, destination: bedroom.  
Helga watched for a few more minutes, and then walked toward Arnold's fire escape. "Heh, like I would actually climb up to the roof again... Not after that other night," She thought, then suddenly looked up. "Arnold?"  
He was standing there, just steps in front of her, on the fire escape, with his hand extended. "Do you want to talk? I know an easier way into my room than climbing up the fire escape." His eyes twinkled a little.  
"Oh, and what is that?" She evaded his question by asking him another, and although he took notice of this, he knew not to push her too far, especially when she was unstable like this. It was easy to tell that she definitely was shaky.  
"Here," He commented, holding his hand out again, and as soon as she took it, he walked her to the front door of the boarding house, and lead her into the living room, holding his hands up to his lips, shushing her.  
By the sounds coming from the kitchen, it sounded like Gwana had returned to catch one more tiger/fly.  
"Heh," Helga murmured, before Arnold led her up the stairs and into his room. "You sneak many people into your room, Football-head?" She inquired, sitting on his bed.  
"No, you're the first. I just..."  
"Had that all planned?" She smirked.  
"It wasn't like that. I just... had some of it planned."  
"Uh-huh." She laughed a little, and then turned serious. "So why did you summon me here?"  
"Heh, well, not to ask you to take me to your leader..."  
She rolled her eyes, grumbling, "Criminey!"  
He smiled a little, and then sat back on the couch, relaxing against the wall. "So I know you don't like to be asked alot of questions..."."  
"True." When she said nothing more, he rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.  
"Well?" He demanded a couple minutes later, slightly annoyed.  
"Uh, oh?" She snapped out of daydreaming and glanced at him. "Well, what do you want?"   
"Why do you think your parents are not interested in you?" The question slid off of his tongue so quickly, that she knew it must've been eating at him for the past couple of days.  
"Heh, well, that wasn't too forward," She commented sarcastically.  
"Sorry," He commented, smiling a little.  
She couldn't help it, and began to smile, too. "Well." She paused and thought about how to word this. "Because they just aren't. They've always shown more attention to Olga. It's always been this way. I'm the one that gets left behind, the one that has to fend for herself, has to shout in order to be heard. The one that'll always be alone. It'll always be this way," Her words just rushed out, and she felt almost ashamed that she said it, especially to the Football-Headed boy of her affections.  
He watched her closely as she told this, but her face showed no emotion. "That's sad."  
She rubbed her neck somewhat wistfully, and glanced around. "Let's discuss something else," She commented dryly.  
"OK," He agreed easily. "What then?"  
She shrugged and laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "We're moving."   
"Huh? You are? You and your parents?"  
"Yes. Big Bob sold the emporium." She sighed, and sat up. "Well, I have to go. I have plans."  
"Ok, it is kinda late." He glanced over at the alarm clock.  
"Yeah." She stood up and headed to the door. "Time to sneak away. Well, I'll see ya, Football-head."  
"Yeah, bye, Helga," He answered.  
She walked slowly down the stairs, and paused in the living room, listening to the silence of everyone in bed surrounding her. "Good night, Football-head..." With this, she ran to the front door and exited.  
"Good night, Helga," Arnold murmured, standing at the top of the stairs, then walked back to his room.  
  
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The next morning, Helga awoke in Phoebe's room, in the sleeping bag her best friend always willingly provided her with whenever she wanted to sleep over. Yawning, she stretched out and relaxed, then smiled and sat up. Although she dreaded the fact that they were moving, she felt happier because she was getting along a little better with Football-head... She laid back down and placed her arms beneath her head, sighing happily, then glanced over at Phoebe, who was still sleeping in her little bed. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sounds of Phoebe waking up.  
"Good morning, Helga," Her short friend announced, grabbing her glasses off of the table next to her bed.  
"Hiya, Pheebs."  
"Well, how about we go and see what to eat for lunch, being that it is too late for breakfast?" Glancing at the clock on her desk, Phoebe was surprised to see that it was a quarter past noon.  
"Alright," Helga agreed, and, after getting dressed, followed her friend into the kitchen.   
"Good morning, Mom, Dad," Phoebe announced, smiling at them.  
"Good morning, Phoebe, dear," Mrs. Heyerdahl answered in her Kentucky drawl, her back turned from the two girls, cooking lunch.  
"Good morning, Phoebe, Helga," Mr. Heyerdhal chorused after his wife, glancing up from his newspaper, then folding it, placed it on the dining room table in front of him.  
"Oh, are you going to be staying for breakfast, Helga?" Mrs. Heyerdhal asked.  
"No, I have some stuff at home to do. Thank you anyway, Mrs. Heyerdhal," She answered slightly stiffly at the politeness part of the comment, remembering suddenly that she wanted to get home to do work on her closet shrine.  
"OK," Mrs. Heyerdhal answered, preoccupied, as she flipped a hamburger patty and then nimbly caught it with the slightly scorched frying pan.  
"Bye, Pheebs." Helga quickly left, and slowly started to walk home. Yet again, it was raining, just a light mist, but enough to be noticeable. She just was glad that she would get home before she got too wet. When she arrived, boxes filled the living room, leaving no place to walk. "Miriam?! What are all these boxes doing in here?" She yelled.  
"Uh?" Miriam walked up to the top of the stairs, and looked down at her youngest daughter. "Well, I asked for those boxes to be delivered to us since we need to pack..."  
"Oh, great," Helga grumbled, kicking the boxes. Just then, a bunch of the boxes, teetery from her kick, fell forward, knocking Helga down. "Criminey! Miriam, when are we moving, anyway?"  
"You didn't know? Next Monday."  
"That's less than a week away!" Helga yelped, standing up suddenly.  
"I know, that's why we have to pack." After saying this, Miriam walked slowly back into her bedroom.  
"Criminey." Helga picked up a couple of the boxes and lugged them upstairs. "I have six days to pack, and everything else." She glanced around, and sighed. "What should I start with first? Well, not the closet... I guess my clothes?" She sighed and started walking around the room, throwing things into the box that she wouldn't need for a week. It took only thirty minutes. "The rest of the stuff, I'll pack closer to the time," She decided, sitting down on her bed. She propped her head in her hands and sighed loudly. "I hate this!" She winced at the sound of thunder.  
  
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The next day, Helga sat at the kitchen table, listening to Big Bob and Miriam discuss different things about the move. Such things like Bob's new job that he would look for as soon as they moved, and the new house they were gonna live in, and all kinds of things. Helga also heard mention of the town and state. Regentville, Illinois. What kind of name for a town was that? Probably some little hick town with nothing that she would be interested in, and no kids her age.  
"Oh, Olga, are you packed yet?"  
"NO, Bob. Not yet."  
"Get to it, Young Lady. We don't have all the time in the world, you know."  
"We have five days, Bob. That is time enough."  
"Don't speak to me in that tone. Your sister, Olga, never did."  
"Hah," Helga mumbled, stomping out of the room, royally annoyed. "I'm sure if dear Olga did speak to you in that tone, you purposely forgot it..." She stomped around in her room, so annoyed that she was hyper. Her eyes lit up on her slightly ajar closet door, and she quickly opened it up and glanced in it. "Well, I guess... I should pack this so no one else does." She blushed, thinking about the time that Miriam threw away everything in this closet, Arnold's hat included. "Yes, yes, I should, most definitely." She dragged her slightly filled box into the closet and began to tenderly place things in it. Each thing held many, many memories... Especially the small pink books she started writing her first poems in just two years ago, when she was only seven years old. The brown tiles covering the floor soon came into view as it started to look less cluttered, and she stared down at them. "Yuck, no wonder I wanted to cover them..." And thus, twenty-five minutes passed.  
"Helga?" Phoebe's voice caused her to jump.  
"Criminey, Phoebe! Gimme a little warning next time, OK?" She sighed and stood up, then picked the box up and lugged it out, dropping it onto the floor of her bedroom.  
"Yes, of course, Helga." Phoebe nodded.  
Mumbling, Helga sat on her bed and glanced at her friend, relaxing. "So what's up, Pheebs?"  
"Well, I just was wondering if you needed help packing. I know it is not very close to moving day, but figured you'd prefer to have it done early so you can enjoy the last few days of your stay here," She suggested shyly, uncertain of how Helga would take this.  
Helga kicked at the side of her bed as she thought this over. "Well, sure, Pheebs, but not today. Maybe tomorrow. Today, let's have some fun."  
"OK, Helga!" Phoebe's eyes sparkled a little at this, and she smiled.  
The two left the Pataki house and headed for the arcade, passing many of the kids from school. Each and every one of them stopped Helga, asking her if it was true that she was moving. When Harold asked, and heard the "yes", he started laughing, and she punched him. "Mommyyyyyyyy!" He wailed, running off.  
Phoebe patted Helga on the back, and secretly smiled, thinking, "I'm glad that the move isn't changing her too much."  
When they arrived at the arcade, it was nearly empty, to the surprise of the two girls. "Well, we get the games all to ourselves, then," Helga announced with a smile, heading for a game called Kung Foo Masters. "Heh, this should be fun," She cackled to herself, popping a quarter into the slot. As the game loaded, she watched Phoebe walk timidly over to Mrs. Pacman, and begin to play. Kung Foo Masters held no challenge for Helga, and she easily defeated her opponent. "Yuck, how boring." She looked around and headed for Road Rash, a racing game. This game posed a little more of a challenge, and she came in second place, then walked over to watch Phoebe, who was still playing Mrs. Pacman. "Doesn't she get tired of this?" Helga thought to herself, but knew not to speak. It was so annoying when someone spoke while you were trying to concentrate on a game.  
Phoebe managed to make it to the last level and beat the game. Helga was amazed, to say the least. "Wow, Pheebs. You did great. I never thought anyone could get very far in that game."  
Phoebe blushed at the praise, and her black eyes danced. "Thank you, Helga." The two walked towards the door, then bumped into Arnold and Gerald, of all people. Phoebe blushed harder as Gerald stood up and held his hand out to her to help her stand.   
"Every time, Football Head, every dang time," Helga grumbled.  
"Uh, yeah..." He smiled a little at the Football Head part. "Sorry," He mumbled, helping her up.  
"It's OK," Phoebe smiled.   
"Oh, well, I guess everyone has a little bit of Eugene in them, huh?" Gerald commented.  
"Uh huh, sure, Tall Hair Boy. Lemme know as soon as your hair turns red, OK?" Helga requested, then exited the arcade.  
Phoebe smiled sympathetically at Gerald, and then followed.  
"I tell ya, man, how Phoebe puts up with her, I will never know," Gerald mused, watching her.  
"Who knows," Arnold answered, hiding his smile.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
And so, a few days passed, filled with packing and the like. Luckily the task wasn't so awful, since Phoebe was there to help her with most of it. By now, the stress of having to move was getting to her, and she'd spend at least part of the night crying silently in bed. She really did not want to leave, but of course her parents wouldn't listen. They had decided, and that was all that there was to it. They wanted a new life, in a new place, with new opportunities and I think by then, not even Olga could have stopped them.  
The night before the scheduled move, Helga was even more restless than usual. As the seconds ticked by, she was getting more stressed. Tossing and turning, she thought that the night just couldn't get worse. But of course it did. Worry about what her new home would be like filtered through her mind, and she wondered, no, in fact, she knew she'd be more of an outcast there than here. At least here, she had Phoebe and at times Arnold to keep her company. Regentville! She punched her pillow a few times until finally she broke down crying. "Why..." She mumbled repeatedly, her face buried in the thin white pillow. When she sat up, her eyes were red and puffy, and her pillow was ripped apart and soaked from her punches and tears. "I need some air," She decided, and left her bedroom silently. She was quite good at sneaking around, luckily, and proved it as she slowly stalked down the hallway, the stairs and then to the front door. Unlatching the regular lock, and then the dead bolt, she slipped outside, and sighed as a slightly cold breeze wafting through her blonde hair. She had taken her hair out of the ponytails before trying to go to sleep, and now it ran down her shoulders, shining in the slight moonlight that filtered onto her. She sighed and tried to think of where to go. Before long, she found that her wandering steps were leading her to the dock, and she sat down on the edge of it, soaking her feet. The water glittered so beautifully in the moonlight, the sight was almost breath-taking to her. The famous island where old "Wheezing Ed" supposedly lived at, Elk Island, looked tranquil and oddly beautiful as well. She looked down at her nightgown, a simple pink thing with small flower prints up towards the neckline. Pink anklets covered her feet, and she watched as the water swished over them. She didn't care that she was wet up to the knees, although the water was very cold. It was oddly nice, to be all alone here, on the last night that she'd ever be here. As she sat there, the tears began to fall again. Soft and silently at first, then harder and more unyielding. She couldn't stop. As much as she tried, they came faster, and harder, until she was sure that if she kept this up she would flood the island that was before her blurry sight.  
"Helga?" After she was crying for a few minutes, a soft voice spoke up from behind her, and she jumped and tried to wipe her eyes. "It's OK, Helga." Arnold wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. He felt so sorry for her. He wasn't sure why he came here anyway; it was like something was tugging at him to get out of bed and go to the dock. And now that he was here, he was really glad that whatever it was had done it.   
Helga didn't try to fight the embrace, or even swoon or have some romantic thought in her mind like usual, instead she just grabbed him and cried into his nightshirt like there was no tomorrow. "A-Arnold..." She stammered finally.  
"It's OK. It'll be fine." He held her for a long, long time. When he felt her sobbings subside, he pulled her away from him so he could look at her. "Are you OK?" He seemed so worried about her, it was really sweet.   
"Yes, I- I am." She stilled sniffed from time to time, but it was nothing like the sobbing.  
"OK." He sounded a little reluctant, but chose to believe her. "Well, look. The sun's rising."  
She wiped her eyes and stared at the slight orangish colors that were just starting to take over the dull grey sky. "Yeah..."   
He looked at her, and smiled a little.   
She really didn't look too good. Her eyes were very, very red and puffy now, her hair was mussed, and she looked very, very tired. "Today is moving day," She mumbled finally, sniffling a little more.  
"Oh... What time?"  
"Three in the afternoon..."  
"OK, you know what? I think you need some sleep, so why don't I walk you home, and then you'll feel better before you have to do anything."  
"No, I don't want to go home," She answered forcefully.  
"OK... Where then?"  
"I dunno." She wanted to answer the boarding house so bad, but didn't want to seem too forward... She was worried about how he would take it.  
"OK, what about the boarding house? You can sleep there, and then you can go home in time for the move."  
She could have died! "Oh, my beloved, we are on the same wavelength... You suggested the very thing I was thinking of," She thought, turning her face from Arnold so he couldn't see her momentary show of exuberance. "Alright, Arnoldo," She agreed in an exhausted tone.  
"OK." He took her hand, and led her down the nearly silent city streets, heading for his home. "Here, shh," He urged when they arrived. He opened the door, and she watched as the dogs, cats and Abner the pig ran out, barking and hissing and, well, oinking.  
She rolled her eyes. "What a mad house," He heard her mumble, and couldn't help the smile that passed over his face; he knew it was a mad house, but loved it anyhow.  
"Come on." They walked up the stairs to his bedroom, and paused as he listened in for someone awake. "OK, go," He urged.   
She nodded and walked reluctantly up the stairs. "Geez, who woulda thought Arnold was such a sneak..." Here she sighed in her famous lovesick way. "I bet I'm the only girl he's snuck up here though. Yes!" She entered the room with a smile on her lips, and looked around, waiting for Arnold to come up too. When he did, she sat on the bed, and stared at him, noticing the feeling of uncomfort between the both of them.  
"Uh, well, do you want to sleep?" He asked slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.  
"Uh, oh, yeah, sure." She was so surprised that she was up in his room yet again, that she had forgotten everything else, like her tiredness, her puffy eyes, and her slightly soaked dress that had been splashed by the water from her tears and the ocean. Now she bothered to look down, and noticed that the dress clung to her skinny body.  
Arnold got sick of staring at her, and sat down on his couch, relaxing. "Well..."  
She looked up at the sound of his voice, and repeated it. "Well..." Ever since she confessed to him, they at times had a uncomfortable feeling when they were together, so deep a feeling that you could have cut through it with a steak knife, as the saying goes. This was definitely one of those times. She looked away from him, and frowned up at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do. Should she lay down, or sit up and talk to him? In the middle of her thinking, she suddenly couldn't keep her eyes open. She laid down against the blanket covering his bed, and was instantly asleep.  
He smiled and silently stood up, then walked over to her, carefully pulling the blanket out from under her and, laying her down more comfortably on to the bed, placed the blanket over her. He then returned to the couch, laying down on his back and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Funny... I've never seen anyone cry so hard. It was like she could cry her very soul out..." He thought numbly, feeling very, very sorry for her. "I guess this move hit her harder than even she guessed..." He turned his head and glanced over at her. In sleep, she was oddly cute. Right now, a light smile passed over her lips, and her unibrow was arched upwards, in an almost comfortable style. It was really rare to see her smile, so he decided to enjoy the sight while it lasted. As he stared, however, her lips parted into a pain-filled grimace and her brow moved into an anxious-looking glare. "Is she having a nightmare?" He wondered to himself, unsure. If she wasn't, and he woke her, she'd be very ticked. However, if she was...  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Helga ran at an almost alarming speed. She was panting already, and her hair was streaming past her. The pink bow she always wore had long ago been ripped out of her hair by one of the low-hanging tree branches, allowing her hair to do whatever it pleased. What was she running from? Even she didn't know. Tears threatened to spill out of eyes at any moment, and already the tears blurred her vision. She did notice, however, when she reached the dock, and finally stopped running. As she leaned over to recollect her thoughts and breath, a large wave shot over the dock, drenching her and carrying her out to sea. "Ahhh!" She screamed, before her mouth was filled with water. She tried to grab onto the side of the dock as she was pushed past it, but couldn't quite reach. Suddenly she felt someone grab onto her hand.  
"I have you, Helga, it's OK," Arnold, holding onto the dock with one hand, and her with the other, spoke in a soothing voice.  
At least she wasn't being pushed around by the waves anymore, she thought as her love clasped strongly at her arm. "I didn't know Arnold could be so strong..."  
"Helga!" He grabbed her other arm with his free hand, and began to pull her up to him. "Here, it's OK. I have you..." He pulled her quickly out of the water and into his arms, hugging her gently. "It's OK, now... You're safe..."  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
She woke up, and looked at Arnold as he smiled down comfortingly at her. "It's OK..." He repeated. She sighed contentedly and relaxed, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. "Bad dream?" He inquired.  
"Yes..." She sighed and shook her head, as if to rid her mind of those memories. The uncomfortableness between them was gone, now, she noticed gladly.  
"Wanna tell me what it was about?"  
"No..." She stared up at the sunlight filtering through the skylight.  
"Alright," He agreed, then smiled, staring at the sunlight as well. He had his arms around her gently, like in the dream.  
"Arnold..." She paused and looked at him again. "Why do you always have to help everyone and everything?"  
He looked down at the carpet covering his floor, and thought her question over long and hard. He knew the answer, but didn't know how to state it. "Well... I guess it comes from not being able to help my parents... Since I wasn't able to help them, I try helping other people."   
She nodded slightly. Of course, leave it to him to have such noble intentions...   
Then he threw her for a loop when he asked her, "Why do you always have to bully everyone?"  
Now it was her turn to stare at the floor. "I... It..." Inwardly, she fumed at this answer. "I really don't know why I do it. When I started it, I did it to cover up my real feelings, and then after a while, it just became a way of life..."  
"Oh." It was so hard to get a good answer out of her! He understood her mostly, but he wanted to know more about her. He wanted to prove his theories. He knew that deep down, everyone has a nice side, just some refused to show it. But she would show her nice side at times; he had been witness of this. "Why do you feel like you have to do it, though?"  
"I don't know, OK? What is this, twenty questions?" She burst out, suddenly anger filled again.  
"OK." He pulled away from her, and sat up.   
He didn't even turn as she rested her hand on his shoulder.  
"Sorry, OK? I don't know... I guess I just do it to cover things up. I do everything to cover things." Her voice had a sad sound, and when he turned, he was surprised at the look of wistfulness in her eyes. "I do everything to push everyone away. Look where it gets me. I suppose I do a good job of it..."  
He eyed her, silently nodding. "Yes, you do, too good a job of it." His voice sounded almost uncaring.  
She frowned at the tone of his voice, and slowly removed her hand from his shoulder, holding her hands together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She sighed and started to twist her hands together. She was making him nervous, so Arnold grabbed her hands.  
"Quit it," He urged.  
"OK..." She stared at him, her eyes locked into his. "I am sorry. I snap out before I think, I suppose."  
He sighed loudly, and glanced around his room. "Won't your parents wonder where you are?"  
She just scoffed at this, and laid back against his soft bed. "Right..."  
Oh, she drove him crazy! If she wasn't angry, she was sarcastic. He tried to calm down, and thought back to what she had said twice so far in their conversation. "OK... What are you covering up now, Helga?"  
She gasped and sat up, staring at him. Her own words were used against her. She gulped and tried to think about a way to answer him.   
"DON'T think," He ordered. "Answer me truthfully. I know you too well, Helga. You really expect me to take some excuse? Not anymore. You've taunted me since we were three. I deserve a sincere answer. Listen, it was only a few months ago that..."  
"Don't mention that..." She whispered, blushing. "Please don't."  
He paused. "Well, if you really meant all of that, you'd agree that I deserve this."  
She nodded numbly and looked down. "OK, you deserve it. You deserve it all."  
This surprised him, and he leaned in closer to her, like she was going to whisper it to him.   
"I don't like to be teased; when we were three, I showed my true feelings once and Harold teased me, so it was just easier to hide my true feelings." She paused, and then sighed slightly.   
"Helga, are you going to continue to hide your feelings at your new home and continue to bully everyone? I don't know... People there might not be so lenient, you know?"  
"Yeah, well, what can I do about it?"  
"You have to decide that. I can't do that for you. Luckily, it's summer, so you have some time." He looked down at the bed, and she noticed that he looked exhausted. He yawned deeply, and sighed. He laid down and closed his eyes, and she thought he was asleep, but soon he spoke. "When do you move again?"  
"Three."  
"Ok." Sighing, he closed his eyes again and suddenly pulled her to him in a hug. He didn't notice the look on her face, of course; a look of happiness, peace and blissfulness.   
She just simply reveled in the feeling of his arms around her, and rested, laying down on his chest. She felt him breath in and out evenly, and smiled a little at his sleeping form. "Thank you for everything, Arnold."   
  
-_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_-  
  
Six hours later, one o'clock P.M., Arnold woke up, and looked around. Helga wasn't in his room anymore, and if he didn't know better, all that time he spent with her could have been a dream... He smiled slightly, picking up Helga's pink hair ribbon. "Ah, she probably has a million like it." He started to place it on his desk, when he noticed a piece of paper stuck under his computer's mouse. "Hmm, that wasn't there before." He grabbed the paper and unfolded it, reading it out loud. "Thank you for last night, Football Head. I'll try to decide on what I can do about it before school starts. Helga." He nodded at the letter and sighed.  
  
-_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_-  
  
"OLGA!" Big Bob yelled suddenly. "The movers are here!"  
"HELGA!" She yelled back just as loud as he did.  
"WHATEVER!"  
"Criminey!" She groaned, laying down on the floor. "Could this day get any worse? I'm so tired and now I have to set up for a long drive to some place called 'REGENTVILLE' and... I HATE THIS!" She slammed her fist against the floor, and growled.  
"Come on, Helga!" Miriam yelled up to her in a gentler tone than Bob's.  
"Ok, Mom." Sighing, Helga stood up and walked down the stairs.   
"We have to go soon, hun," Miriam commented. Funny, in the last couple days, she had even remembered to make Helga breakfast and lunch. She was finally acting like a mother. She didn't pass out so much, and she actually packed almost everything in the house, except for stuff in Helga's room.  
"I know, Mom. Thanks for the warning..." Helga huffed and walked out of the house. Big Bob stood in front of the car, ready and waiting for Helga and Miriam to come out.  
"About time," He grumbled. "Now where is your mother?"  
"Inside."  
"OK, what is she doing INSIDE?" He bellowed.  
"Making a smoothie," She answered sarcastically, then sat down on the porch steps, holding her head in her hands, staring straight ahead at the moving truck, as the movers put her bed, her dresser, her parent's furniture, Big Bob's chair, the couch, TV stand and numerous other pieces of furniture into the truck. The Patakis would only have a few suitcases in the car on the long drive to Illinois.   
"Helga?" Phoebe walked timidly into the yard and stood beside her best friend on the porch, uncertain of what to do.  
"Yes, Pheebs?"  
"I, uh..." She sat down next to her, and then looked up. "Well, I was wondering..."  
"Yes?"  
"Uhm, well, has anything more happened with..." She paused again, watching Big Bob stomp around like usual. "Ice cream?"  
Helga chuckled suddenly. "Yeah, yeah, I'll tell you, maybe, in a letter, ok?"  
Phoebe nodded and sighed. "I'm going to miss you, Helga."  
Helga looked down uncomfortably. "I'll miss you, too... Hey, I'll be back in a second, ok?" She ran into the house, leaving Phoebe alone to watch Big Bob walk around, glaring at this and that, trying to look important. When she returned, she had a couple of pieces of paper in her hand. "Here, Pheebs." Handing one of them to her, Helga sat down. "It's my address at the new place."  
"Thank you, Helga." Phoebe stared at it for a minute, then looked up at Helga with a wistful smile.  
"Looks like the movers are all ready... Wonder what time it is," Miriam mumbled from behind the two girls, then walked into the yard to join Bob.  
"Olga! We're about ready to leave! Get in the car!" Bob ordered.  
Helga rolled her eyes. "I have to spend numerous hours in a car with HIM?" She grumbled silently to Phoebe, who smiled slightly.  
"Why, gosh, Helga," A familiarly accented voice greeted her, "I reckon it's the day you gotta move bein' that the movers are here and all?"  
"Yes, Stinky," She answered somewhat wearily, then looked up. All of the neighborhood fourth graders were standing in her yard, to see her off. She did a double take, and a light smile passed over her lips. "What are all of you doing here?"  
"We came for free food," Harold commented. "Ow!" He grumbled as Gerald elbowed him, "What'd you do that for?!"  
"Shut up, Bubba."  
"Don't call me that!"  
Rhonda rolled her eyes. "I just had to see this," She commented, in her Miss Princess tone.  
"Could someone use an inspirational song?" Eugene questioned, walking forward, just to trip over a box on the ground, falling into it. "I'm ok..."  
Arnold helped him out, and then turned to Helga. "We just came to say bye."  
"Thanks, Football Head." Although Gerald and Harold were fighting, Eugene was his same clumsy self, and Rhonda was being her general snobbish self, it was nice. At least, it was normal.  
"No free food? Aww!" Harold grumbled, earning him another elbow from Gerald. "I gotta go. Bye, Helga!" He yelled, suddenly running out of the yard.  
"Yeah, I had better go, too. Have a nice trip!" Eugene agreed, walking out of the yard. "I'm ok..." His voice suddenly wafted to them.  
"Well, adios, Helga." Chuckling a little to herself, Rhonda left the yard.  
"Hey, I have to go too. Bye, Helga," Gerald said slightly stiffly. "See ya around, ok, Man?" Arnold and he did their little handshake, and Gerald, after winking at Phoebe, left the yard.  
"Well, yeah, bye, Helga," Sid and Stinky said, following Gerald.  
"Where are they going?" Phoebe inquired.  
"Baseball game at Gerald Field," Arnold answered.  
Helga sighed somewhat wistfully, thinking about the many baseball and football games that the fourth graders had played together. Now that it was only Helga, Arnold and Phoebe, the three were completely silent, unsure of what to say.  
Bob, of course, broke this silence before very long. "OLGA! We have to leave now!"  
She closed her eyes and sighed again. "Well, Pheebs... Football Head... I guess this is it."  
"Oh, Helga!" Phoebe suddenly wrapped her arms around the taller girl's waist and hugged her toughly, light tears streaming down her face. Helga watched her uncomfortably for a minute, then hugged her back.  
Arnold smiled a little, and then grew somber as Helga turned to him. "No hugs," She warned.  
"Of course not."  
"Hmmph. Here." She handed him a piece of paper. "Bye now. And thanks," She whispered lightly so Phoebe wouldn't hear, and ran to the car.  
After the Pataki car had drove off, Arnold unfolded his piece of paper, and looked at it. Helga's new address was written on it. "Write me..." Was written below that.  
Phoebe was still crying, so Arnold tried to console her. "We'll see her again, Phoebe... You can count on it."  
  
  
THE END, bar a sequel. 


End file.
